Journalist Soorinje discharged of charges in M'luru homestay attack case

Mangaluru: The VIth Additional District and Sessions Court on Tuesday discharged journalist Naveen Soorinje from all charges in the 2012 homestay attack case. Soorinje was accused no. 44 in the case.

The acquittal comes nearly five years after the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in June 2013, decided to withdraw the case against Soorinje claiming that he had been to the spot only to report the incident and had not instigated the attack.

The infamous incident had occurred on July 20, 2012, when activists of the Hindu Jagaran Vedike had allegedly assaulted and sexually harassed young men and women at Morning Mist homestay here. Soorinje and another journalist Sharan had filmed the entire incident.  

Based on a victim’s compliant the Mangaluru Rural police had arrested a total of 44 persons, including Soorinje and Sharan in connection with the case. After the police filed charge sheet, the government decided to withdraw the case against Soorinje.

After several hearings into the case, the judge finally discharged Soorinje from the case on January 4, 2018.